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Noticed that it is back on telly this Wednesday, Patsy Kensit is the first one, believe that she had an upsetting time, she learnt about somethings that she did'nt like, have'nt we all been there!
I like the programme though.

Stephanie.

Her Dad was friends with the train robbers wasn't he? I read an article in a mag last week about her program. I only watch the program if it is a celeb I like, I think I'll record it so that there is something to watch while the olympics are on.

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Mel

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Did anyone watch it? I thought it was quite emotional, O.H. thought she was doing a lot of acting.
When they threw the carpet back to show the grave at the altar, I said I want to bend down and touch that, and she promptly did.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

I have recorded it as I didn't get chance to watch it - it'll probably be next weekend before I can watch it though. I am off to France tomorrow for a few days (without OH!).

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Mel

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If you missed it, you can watch it here http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00d28mk/

I thought her emotion was genuine, she was sooooo relieved to have had the sexton and the vicar in her family, she had a nasty feeling to begin with that all her ancestors were going to be villains, I was so pleased for her, I wanted her to bend down and touch the grave in the church as well, and she did just that. Wonder if she has now got 'the bug'.

Stephanie.

Bet she has the bug now Stephanie, but I think she will find it harder going "on her own", as against having various archives/historians at her finger tips. Makes it all good fun though.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

They make it look so easy don't they...and do they mention how costly it is?

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Mel

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Just for the sake of argument, I think ancestor-hunting is a very cheap hobby. Yes, you can spend a great deal on books, travel and certificates if you choose to (or can't resist them!), but in the three years since I started I've acquired, found or been given hundreds of ancestors and ancestral relatives and information about many of their lives: I've also got to know some really nice people, including several very interesting second etc cousins. In fact i've got to know a lot more about who I am and where I came from.

All this has cost about £100 a year - £2 a week, or 30p a day - for subs to GenesReunited and Ancestry and the odd document (I'd have the PC and the Internet connnection anyway). Compare that with what people spend on fishing, motorbiking, golf, theatres or concerts, smoking, or just down the pub........

The problem with doing it my way is that you spend a lot of time with your computer and not much with real people. But this and other sites like it are a pretty good substitute, and when you do physically meet long-lost or unknown relatives, you already have a lot in common!

Charon

I agree Charon - it doesn't need to be costly but often a birth or marriage certificate is easier to locate than the equivalent in Parish Records, particularly if it is an unfamiliar area or the ancestors didn't make use of the most obvious church.
In the earlier days of my research when I was a very young YTS trainee, I used to ask for documents or books as birthday and Christmas presents.

I have spent far less on my hobby since ancestry and other sites started to make more records/indexes available online. Sites like Lostcousins and Genesreunited have made it much easier to make contact with related researchers but I think it's only really taken off in the last 4 or 5 years. Before such sites there was only really Rootsweb and Ancestry message boards and I always felt they were more geared for the US than for the UK.

It is a choice purchase and not necessity. I couldn't afford to do it if I had children, I doubt I would have the time to do as much as I do if I had children.

Speaking of sharing - I still haven't made it to Cheadle! I will as the kids go back to school and the town is a little quieter. Do you have a picture of the church at Uttoxeter? Would you like one? When I do get to Cheadle, I might as well continue the few miles to Uttoxeter and have a look there too.

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Mel

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Mel,

that's very kind - yes please, and many thanks. No hurry though, as my Tideswells are on the back burner for now: I've been concentrating on other parts of the tree lately, especially my Bannisters and Parkers.

Of course you're right to point out how much less expensive and easier the Internet and online records have made genealogy. I'm often rather pleased (from that point of view) that I started as late as I did - though on the other hand I wish I'd started twenty years sooner, when my parents' generation were still around to ask about the family.....

Charon

Dont know how anyone else feels about this, but I think the younger ones of us are quite unique in wanting to know about their ancestors. I find that a lot of the youger ones today arnt really interested, it was the same in my case, when i was in my 20's 30's and 40's it never entered my head to try and trace my ancestors, I never gave it a second thought actually, it is only as I have got older that I have wanted to 'know', The likes of Mel and Kris quite put me to shame really, wish I had shown an interest much earlier in my life, I get so much pleasure from doing it, just look what I have been missing, still better late than never.


Stephanie.

I remember my first interest in family history was when I was 15. I hated history at school but one assignment we were given was to do a brief tree. They never gave us any idea how to get beyond living rellies and my Nan (who was alive at the time) had sadly lost her mind to dementia. I didn't pursue it back then as I didn't have the time, the money or the know-how.

I used to be one of the youngest in the archives but I have noticed in more recent years that researchers are getting younger as are the achivisits! (Or is that me getting older...bit like policemen!?)

Time to head out for the puddle-jumper.

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Mel

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I was luckier than some. My daughter had to do a family tree at school about 18 years ago. Not realising they only meant from grandparents forward, I went to see my mum's oldest aunt and wrote down everything she said. By the time I took a real interest, both my parents were still alive and compos mentis. And then of course Kris had already done huge amounts on the Leaver side which was an enormous help.

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Maureen
If you can't fight, wear a big 'at

Finally got around to watching Patsy. I agree with Gloria's OH - she was acting a lot.

Did anyone see Boris Johnson last night? I got back from France just in time to catch it. We howled with laughing, it reminded me of a sketch on Armstrong & Miller. Armstrong was tracing his tree with the program and reading the census pages with the librarian, she kept emphasising the occupation of his ancestors....'Whore'.
Boris's tree was quite fascinating but it was his responses that had me laughing. I can't help but like the guy, hard to believe he is so educated sometimes.

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Mel

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